December 27 | Luke 2:22-24 and Leviticus 12:2-6
- Kathleen Serio
- Dec 27, 2024
- 2 min read
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Rules
By Kathleen Serio
Rules can be tricky. Especially when they don’t quite make sense to us. I was lucky growing up because my mom rarely gave my brother and I rules without explaining why the rules were needed. Granted, there were certainly times when a rule existed and there wasn’t quite an explanation that could be given. Some rules just exist because they are the rules. Reading the Old Testament, we see so many rules that to us are simply weird. It isn’t until you look into the rules that you can see how God was protecting His people.
This is how I look at the passage where Jesus is presented in the Temple. God is asking His people to follow a rule that may not make sense to them at the time, but the Israelites know that God asked it of them, so they obey. By showing that Jesus was presented in the Temple just like every other firstborn male, God is showing us that, from the very beginning, Jesus is just like all of the other firstborn Israelite males. Jesus was fully man and fully God. By following this law, Mary and Joseph are raising their son, Jesus, as a child just like any other. What an incredible way to help us relate to Jesus.
Even when rules don’t make sense to us, we know that God has our best interest at heart. His rules are not there to punish us, but to protect us and further His plan. I cannot think of any cooler way to show us that than the fact that His own son follows those same rules. So even when we face something that doesn’t make a ton of sense, and wonder if it is truly what is best for us, we can take comfort in knowing that God’s own son did the same that we did. He had faith in God and followed what He was commanded.
PRAYER
God help us to follow your rules, even when we want an answer to why the rule exists and don’t get one, even when the rule doesn’t make sense. Remind us to have faith in your plan when we don’t understand. To have faith in knowing that you will always do what is best for us. Thank you for the example that you have shown us though your son, for sending your son to us, and for taking care of us, your people.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KATHLEEN SERIO
I grew up at UALC and have been blessed to have many role models in this church. They encouraged me to pursue my passions including volunteering with Young Kids’ VBS, HSM, teaching Sunday School, small groups, Operation Christmas Child, mission trips, ushering, and more. It has been a joy to go from participating in ministries as a kid to becoming a leader as an adult.
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